--- title: Is premenstrual food craving linked to belly fat? | Niyora description: Yes. Women with higher waist circumference reported stronger food cravings before their period compared to women without high waist circumference. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/waist-circumference-and-its-association-with-premenstrual-food-craving-the-phase-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is premenstrual food craving linked to belly fat? Cohort study, 2022 # Is premenstrual food craving linked to belly fat? Yes. Women with higher waist circumference reported stronger food cravings before their period compared to women without high waist circumference. Early or limited evidence 46 reproductive-age women (mean BMI 24.36) ## What they did 46 women tracked their daily food cravings over 2-3 menstrual cycles (122 cycles total). They compared food cravings during the premenstrual phase to cravings during the follicular phase. Women were grouped by waist circumference: normal (n=26) or obese (n=20) based on 80 cm cutoff. ## What they found Waist circumference was significantly associated with premenstrual food cravings (p=0.028). The mean food craving effect size was 0.35 higher in women with high waist circumference compared to normal group. This remained significant even after adjusting for BMI. ## What it means for you Women who carry more fat around their middle report stronger premenstrual food cravings, suggesting a link between premenstrual eating changes and metabolic risk. The finding persisted after accounting for overall weight, suggesting something specific about central fat distribution matters. The study was small with only 46 women. 46 women studied 80 cm waist circumference cutoff for increased risk 0.35 higher food craving effect size in high waist circumference group ## About the study Original title Waist Circumference and Its Association With Premenstrual Food Craving: The PHASE Longitudinal Study Authors Dang N, Khalil D, Sun J et al. Journal Frontiers in psychiatry Year 2022 Study design Cohort study Participants 26 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.784316](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.784316) Original abstract Visceral adiposity is a significant marker of all-cause mortality. Reproductive age women are at a considerable risk for developing visceral adiposity; however, the associated factors are poorly understood. The proposed study evaluated whether food craving experienced during the premenstrual period is associated with waist circumference. Forty-six women (mean BMI = 24.36) prospectively provided daily ratings of food craving across two-three menstrual cycles (122 cycles total). Their premenstrual rating of food craving was contrasted against food craving in the follicular phase to derive a corrected summary score of the premenstrual food craving increase. Study groups were divided into normal ( n = 26) and obese ( n = 20) based on the 80 cm waist circumference cutoff signifying an increase in risk. Waist circumference category was significantly associated with premenstrual food cravings [ F (1,44) = 5.12, p = 0.028]. Post hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test (95% family-wise confidence level) showed that the mean score for the food craving effect size was 0.35 higher for the abdominally obese vs. normal study groups (95% CI: 0.039 to 0.67). The result was statistically significant even following inclusion of BMI in the model, pointing to a particularly dangerous process of central fat accumulation. The present study establishes an association between temporal vulnerability to an increased food-related behavior and a marker of metabolic abnormality risk (i.e., waist circumference), thereby forming a basis for integrating the premenstruum as a viable intervention target for this at-risk sex and age group. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2016 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating? Randomised trial, 2011 Does a birth control pill reduce negative emotions, food cravings, and water retention in women with PMDD? Review, 2001 What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated? Cohort study, 2026 Is genetic predisposition to immune cell changes linked to premenstrual disorders and their severity? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗